Installation for filling cases with cross-partitions

ABSTRACT

The installation comprises, combined on one and the same rack ( 6 ): —an accepting station ( 11 ), —a case-packing station ( 12 ), —a manipulation head ( 13 ) designed to take a batch of products ( 1 ) which is presented in the form of a row to said accepting station ( 11 ) and to transfer it to said case-packing station ( 12 ) in a row of cells ( 4 ) of the case or cases to be filled, —the structure ( 14 ) for handling the guidance of the products ( 1 ) to the input of the cells ( 4 ), the structure ( 14 ) comprising a grill ( 22 ) which extends longitudinally above the cases ( 2 ). The grill ( 22 ) is provided with a number of hoppers ( 15 ) arranged in a line and the number of which corresponds to the number of cells ( 4 ) in each row of the case or cases ( 2 ) to be filled and each grill ( 22 ) is mobile, on the one hand, vertically above said cases ( 2 ) between a retracted position which enables the passage of said cases ( 2 ) and a position in which said hoppers ( 15 ) are in active position to channel each product towards its cell ( 4 ) and, on the other hand, transversally relative to the direction of displacement of said cases ( 2 ) to fill each row of cells ( 4 ), one after the other. The section of the input of the hoppers ( 15 ) is around twice that of the cells ( 4 ) to be filled.

The present invention relates to an installation for the filling of cases with cross-partitions and, in particular, cases designed to receive products the shape and presentation of which require particular care.

Cases with cross-partitions are mainly used for packaging products which need to be protected during their transport in order, notably, to limit the risks of damage to their appearance and their decoration.

Mechanized case-packing is used routinely for putting products, and in particular bottles, into cases, including cases with cross-partitions.

Mechanization makes it possible to put in a case a batch of bottles with a number of bottles that corresponds to the number of cavities of said case to be filled.

The batch of bottles is handled by a gripping head which travels back and forth between the receiving station and the case-packing station.

During this journey, and because of the accelerations, the bottles may move and it happens that when they are lowered toward the cavities, they are not positioned on the axis of their respective cavity.

In this case, they butt against the cross-partitions and they cause incidents which may have a repercussion on a good portion of the batch.

In order to make it easier to insert the bottles into the cavities, it is also known practice to use, as described in document FR 2506260, for example, a matching tool consisting of guides, or hoppers, which channel the bottles toward said cavities so as to reduce the risks of interference with the cross-partitions.

Except for the bottles situated on the periphery of the batch, the hopper has an opening the section of which corresponds to that of the cavities and for these peripheral bottles, the section of the opening of the hopper is more generous but it is limited by the adjacent openings of the central hoppers.

The hopper itself forms a cross-partition above the cavities; it therefore only partially reduces the insertion incidents and it leads to other incidents such as, for example, damage to the decoration situated on the surface of the bottles and in particular damage to the labels which have just been stuck.

Moreover, for multipurpose installations, capable of processing different formats of products, the handling of this tool, consisting of hoppers, is a relatively complex operation because of its installation which means that access to it is difficult and also because of its weight.

Moreover, upstream of these insertion incidents, the operations for preparing the bottles in the form of batches, before they are received by the gripping head, also generate other incidents that arise from the multiple contacts and friction of the bottles with one another or on accessories such as guides.

These contacts and friction may have a devastating effect on the presentation of the bottles with, for example, damage to their appearance and/or damage to the labels.

Accordingly, the use of the mechanism for case-packing is rather reserved for basic products, of simple shape and which, above all, are not subject to these risks of damage to the labels, in particular.

In the case of relatively delicate products, such as flasks and bottles, of a particular shape and of very high added value, the case-packing operation is most frequently carried out manually; each product is carefully placed by an operator into a cavity of the case.

The present invention proposes a mechanization solution which allows the case-packing of these “precious” products, the handling of which requires particular attention.

It proposes an installation which makes it possible to reduce to its simplest expression the number of handling operations of the products between their preparation (filling and labeling) and the palletization of the cases filled with these products.

The case-packing installation according to the invention makes it possible to remove many of the causes of damage to the products by limiting the damaging contacts and frictions; it proposes a gentle, relatively “soft”, mechanization well suited to this type of delicate product, with high added value.

The invention makes it possible to protect the insertion of a line of products in their respective cavities while accepting that these products have a high lack of conformity when they are brought, by the handling head, above the row of said cavities of the case to be filled.

This lack of conformity may also be caused by the products themselves and in particular, when it involves bottles, by an accumulation of shape defects because of the considerable tolerances in their manufacture.

The invention makes it possible to accept a poor positioning of the products and in particular a considerable misalignment in one direction: the direction that is perpendicular to the line of said products; this tolerance is relatively large compared to the dimension of the cavity in this direction.

For installations that must have great flexibility, the invention also makes it possible to have tools that are easier to change; their installation makes them more accessible and their weight, being modest, allows easier handling, without needing to use lifting machines. The operator can store the tools himself in a warehouse that is stationed close to the installation.

For certain products, of small size for example, and for certain packagings, of large capacity, it is even possible to increase the case-packing rates while retaining the advantages mentioned above.

The invention also proposes an arrangement of the hoppers themselves, which arrangement makes it possible to simplify the mounting of the guides and their possible replacement, in particular the guides that are the most stressed, those which delimit the large opening of said hoppers.

The installation according to the invention therefore relates to the case-packing of delicate products in the cavities of one or more cases with cross-partitions; it comprises, assembled on one and the same frame:

-   -   at least one conveyor for carrying the products in a line to the         receiving station and at least one conveyor for carrying the         cases to be filled to the case-packing station and to carry them         away,     -   a handling head arranged to take at least one batch of products         to said receiving station and to transfer it to said         case-packing station in at least one row of cavities of the         case(s),     -   a structure for guiding the products to the entrance of the         cavities, which structure comprises at least one grid which         extends longitudinally above the conveyor of the cases, which         grid is furnished with several hoppers placed in line(s) and the         number of which corresponds to the number of cavities of each         row of the case(s) to be filled and it can be moved, on the one         hand, vertically above the cases to be filled between a         retracted position which allows the passage of said cases and a         position in which the hoppers are in the active position in         order to channel each product into its respective cavity and, on         the other hand, transversely relative to the direction of         movement of said cases in order to fill each row of cavities,         one after the other, which hoppers have an opening the entrance         section of which is of the order of twice the section of said         cavities.

Still according to the invention, the structure for guiding the products comprises a cradle in the shape of a U the two parallel arms of which carry the grids of hoppers, which cradle is guided vertically on a frame and it is maneuvered by appropriate means in order to position said hoppers in the active or inactive position relative to the cavities to be filled, which parallel arms each comprise a carriage which accommodates one end of said grid, said carriages are guided horizontally and they can be moved, above the case(s), by the action of appropriate means, in order to place the hoppers in correspondence with each row of cavities to be filled.

According to another provision of the invention, the installation may comprise carriages arranged to accommodate at least two grids of hoppers, which grids are placed side by side to allow, in cooperation with an appropriate head and an appropriate delivery of the products, the simultaneous case-packing of at least two, nonadjacent, rows of cavities of the case.

Still according to the invention, each carriage comprises means for accommodating the grid(s) and these means consist of vertical pins onto which the ends of said grids are fitted, said grids being locked onto these pins by appropriate matching means.

According to another provision of the invention, the grid of hoppers consists of a pair of side rails and several crossmembers certain of which are used for the assembly of said side rails, which crossmembers and side rails determine the shape and the section of the openings for the passage of the products into said hoppers, which openings are delimited, at the side rails, by the inner walls of said side rails and by said crossmembers and, beneath the level of said side rails, said openings are extended in the form of guides, said guides consisting of flexible strips made of thermoplastics.

Still according to the invention, the side rails of the grid each consist of a section piece made out of folded metal sheet with: —a top horizontal surface, —an outer stiffening border placed at the bracket relative to said top surface and—an inner surface which forms the wall of the top portion of each hopper, which wall comprises, at each hopper, at least one lug which, once folded toward the inside of the section piece, forms a sort of staple in order to allow the attachment of the various flexible strips, which flexible strips comprise, on their side, an arrangement in the form of an oblong orifice on their length and they are locked, at their top end or heel, by being immobilized in the fold at the bracket of the side rail, between its top surface and its outer border.

According to another provision of the invention, the crossmembers for assembling the side rails have a section in the shape of an upside-down U and they accommodate the top portion of the flexible strips which are in the form of a tuning-fork, which strips are assembled by being wedged in said U by means of a wedge which is held by bolts interposed between the two.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the appended drawings, given as an indication, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation of the installation, seen from the entrance of the products;

FIG. 2 represents a case with cross-partitions;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the installation, without the head for handling the products;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the installation, showing the transverse offset of the grid of hoppers for the purpose of putting in place a second batch of bottles in the second row of cavities of the case;

FIG. 5 shows a variant embodiment of the invention for the case-packing of two simultaneous rows of products by using several grids of hoppers for the situation of cases comprising a multitude of rows of cavities;

FIG. 6 is a section of the grid and in particular a cross section of FIG. 3, along 6-6;

FIG. 7 is a section of the grid also and in particular a section of FIG. 3, along 7-7, at a spacer that is used for assembling two side rails;

FIG. 8 is a partial longitudinal section of the grid and in particular a section of FIG. 7, along 8-8;

FIG. 9 shows the attachment of a flexible strip onto a side rail, by stapling and immobilization.

The installation schematized in FIGS. 1 and 3 makes it possible to achieve the case-packing of products (1) such as bottles in cases (2) of the type with cross-partitions (3), like the case that is shown in FIG. 2, inside the machine.

The cross-partitions (3) delimit cavities (4) into which the products (1) slide, which products are thus protected throughout their transportation. The case shown in FIG. 2 is a case of the “American box” type with flaps (5).

This installation schematized in FIGS. 1 and 3 comprises a general frame (6) onto which are placed:

-   -   the conveyer (7) which carries the finished products (1) to the         receiving station (11), which products arrive in line; a second         conveyor (7′), the role of which will be specified below, is         shown in dot-and-dash lines beside the conveyer (7);     -   the conveyer (8) which carries the case(s) (2) with their         cavities to be filled to the case-packing station (12);     -   the handling head (13) which picks out the products (1) at said         receiving station (11) and which transfers them to said         case-packing station (12);     -   the guidance structure (14) which comprises hoppers (15), which         hoppers are interposed between said head (13) and the cases (2)         in order to position the products (1) with precision in the         appropriate row of cavities (4) of said cases;     -   means, in the form of a finite-state machine, not shown, for         controlling and coordinating all the movements of the elements         comprising said installation.

The products (1) arrive, for example, directly from the filling and preparation unit, not shown; they are placed in line on the bed (16) of the conveyer (7), guided between rails (17), and they advance into the receiving station (11) up to a stop (18) the position of which is adjusted in order to center the batch of products to be case-packed relative to the case-packing station (12).

The head (13) for handling the products (1) comprises a series of gripping members (19) of the pincer type or, as shown in the figures, of the sucker type also called tulips.

These gripping members (19) are placed in a line and they can, by means of an appropriate tool (20), separate from one another in order to adjust the distance between two adjacent products (1), and adapt this distance to the distribution diagram, before inserting them into the cavities (4) of the various cases (2) at the case-packing station (12).

The head (13) can move vertically, on the one hand, in order to take the products (1) out of the receiving station (11) and, on the other hand, to insert them into the boxes (2) at the case-packing station (12). It moves transversely relative to the conveyor (7) and to the conveyor (8) in order to transfer the products (1) between the two stations (11) and (12).

The case-packing operation takes place row by row. A batch of products (1) is picked out at the receiving station (11); this batch takes the form of a row of products (1) and, in the example of FIG. 3, this batch comprises three groups of products (1); each group comprises a number of products which corresponds to the number of cavities (4) of each case (2) and the number of groups corresponds to the number of cases to be filled, that is to say three cases as shown in FIG. 3.

The number of operations for filling the cases (2) corresponds to the number of rows of cavities (4). The cases (2) shown in the figures comprise three rows of cavities (4) and they are filled by the handling and transfer of three batches of products (1).

When the number of rows is much greater, it is possible, as illustrated in FIG. 5 and explained in detail below, to carry out a simultaneous filling of several rows of cavities (4) which are not adjacent.

To carry out this case-packing operation, irrespective of the embodiment, the products are guided into the cavities (4) by means of hoppers (15) with one hopper per product (1) and per cavity (4).

All the hoppers (15) form, as can be seen in FIG. 3, a sort of grid (22) which extends lengthwise on the conveyor (8). This grid (22) and the hoppers (15) will be explained in detail below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

These hoppers (15) make it possible to correctly channel the products (1) and in particular they make it possible to effectively correct a relatively large difference between the real position of said products (1) and their theoretical position which should be centered on the axis of the receiving cavity (4).

Since the hoppers (15) are placed in a single line, their entrance section is arranged to be as large as possible. This entrance section of the hoppers (15) is practically twice as big as the section of the cavities (4) of each case (2), as can be seen below in FIG. 6 in particular.

In the exemplary embodiment, the entrance section of the hoppers (15) is of rectangular shape. This shape relates to the shape of the receiving cavity; it may be oval, or virtually oval, for example.

The dimension of this entrance, in the longitudinal direction of the grid (22), corresponds to that of the cavities (4), but its dimension in the transverse direction is of the order of twice that of said cavities.

Moreover, for each group of hoppers (15), the entrance section of said hoppers situated at the ends of said groups is even larger, of the order of three times the section of the cavity (4).

The grid (22) forms part of the guidance structure (14) that has been mentioned above.

This structure (14) comprises a sort of cradle (23) which carries the grid (22); this cradle (23) is in the shape of a U with two arms (24) which extend above the conveyor (8).

The cradle (23) can move vertically, guided by slides (25) secured to the frame (6) and placed laterally.

A drive member (26), visible in FIG. 3, controls the vertical movement of the cradle (23) by means of endless chains (27) placed laterally and a driveshaft which is situated in the top portion of the frame (6).

The cradle (23) also has the particular feature of being able to be totally retracted to free up access to the case-packing station (12) in particular. On one side, visible in FIG. 3, the cradle (23) is carried and articulated on a vertical shaft (28) which is secured to the frame (6); on the other side, it is carried by a plate (29) that is secured to said frame (6) and to which it can be locked, which plate (29) is secured to the movable portion of the other slide (25).

The vertical travel of the cradle (23) is at least equal to a value which corresponds to the total of the height of the flaps (5) of the case (2) if they exist, and of the distance by which the hoppers (15) sink into the cavities (4).

The grid (22) is operated by the cradle (23) and it also moves transversely relative to the direction of movement of the cases (2) in order to serve each row of cavities (4) of said cases (2).

Accordingly, the arms (24) of the cradle (23) each comprise a carriage (30) to accommodate the ends of the grid (22). These carriages (30), which can be seen in FIG. 3, are guided by means of slides (31) and they are maneuvered by means of a drive member (32) via endless chains (33). These endless chains (33) are each guided over a set of cog wheels, one wheel (34′) of which is situated at the end of each arm (24) and the other wheel (34) is situated at the bottom of the U; the two wheels (34) are driving wheels, secured to one and the same shaft (35) which is connected to the drive member (32), which shaft (35) extends between the arms (24), guided by the latter.

In FIG. 1, the hoppers (15) are in the retracted position after having contributed to the positioning of the products (1) in the first row of cavities (4) of the cases (2); in FIG. 4, these hoppers (15) are in the active guidance position in order to channel each product (1) carried by the head (13) to its respective cavity (4) in the second row.

In the event of a case (2) which comprises a large number of rows of cavities (4), they can be filled more rapidly by using several grids (22) which channel the products into nonadjacent rows of cavities (4).

This variant is shown in FIG. 5. The installation comprises two grids (22) which are spaced apart and each of which fills three rows of cavities (4) in succession.

These grids (22) are mounted in the same manner on carriages (30) and they can be moved, driven by the chains (33), which chains are driven, as explained above, by the drive member (32) and by the shaft (35) which extends between the two arms (24).

If two grids (22) or more are used, the products (1) can arrive on two lines with two carrying conveyors: the conveyor (7) and a conveyor (7′) as shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3.

For this situation, the handling head (13) is then fitted with a tool (20′) which comprises several rows of tulips (19), as shown in FIG. 5, which tulips have a spacing which can also be adjusted transversely in order to adapt their arrangement to the pattern of distribution of the products (1) in the case(s) (2).

The grid (22) consists of two side rails (36) and of several crossmembers (37, 38) which correspond, for example, to the delimitation of the groups of cavities (4) of the various cases (2). These crossmembers (37, 38) are also used for assembling the two side rails (36).

As shown in FIG. 3, separately and in perspective, the grid (22) is attached to the carriages (30) by means of simple vertical pins (39) which are secured to said carriages and they are locked onto said carriages (30) by appropriate means such as cotter pins.

This assembly makes it easy to change the model of hopper (15) in the event of versatile installations capable of handling products (1) of different formats.

Moreover, changing the grid (22) is made much easier by the fact that its weight is reasonable and by the possibility of retracting the cradle (23) which makes it possible to place said grid(s) (22) in a user-friendly manner within reach of the operator(s) who even have handles for manipulating them.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the grid (22) at a hopper (15). The aperture dimension of the entrance E of this hopper (15), in the transverse direction, is of the order of twice the dimension D of the cavity (4) formed by the cross-partition (3).

The entrance of the hopper (15) is delimited by the two side rails (36). These side rails (36) are fashioned in the shape of section pieces with a U-shaped cross section from a folded metal sheet. Each section piece comprises: —vertical external borders (40) which give a degree of inertia; —a horizontal top surface (41) and an inclined inner wall (42) which forms the funnel and in particular a side of the top portion of the hopper (15).

It is these two walls (42), placed facing one another, which form, with the spacers (37, 38), the top portion of the hopper (15) for inserting the products (1) into the cavities (4) of the case.

The spacers (38) which form the top wall of the hopper (15) take the form of a plate placed vertically; this plate is inserted into openings (44) made in the walls (42) of the side rails (36) and it may extend up to the borders (40) and be used for assembling said side rails (36) by means of bolts, not shown, of the type with a captive nut.

The bottom portion of the hopper (15) comprises guides in the shape of flexible strips made of thermoplastics. These guides consist of strips (45) which extend the walls (42) and of strips (46) which extend the transverse walls formed by the spacers (37, 38).

The strips (45) take the form of flexible bands made of thermoplastics and they are locked, as shown in FIG. 9, to the side rails (36).

Accordingly, the bottom edge of the wall (42) of the side rail (36) comprises lugs (47) which, once folded on the inner surface of said wall (42), serve as staples for the various strips (45).

Each strip (45) comprises an oblong-shaped orifice (48) which makes it possible to fit it onto the corresponding lug (47) and said strip (45) is wedged by placing its top end in the inner angle formed by the border (40) and the top surface (41) of the side rail (36).

To take the strip (45) out of its housing, an orifice (49) is provided in the top surface (41) of the side rail (36) in order to allow a tool to pass through in order to release the end of said strip (45) from the angle in which it is locked and to be able to take it out of the lug (47).

The strips (46) extend the spacers (38) and they are attached to the walls (42) of the side rails or to complementary guides (not shown) in the form of tapered elements, installed in the angles of each hopper (15).

At the crossmembers (37), the strips (46) are fashioned, as shown in FIG. 8, in the form of a tuning-fork and they are immobilized by wedging. The crossmember (37) has a section in the form of an upside-down U; it accommodates the top portion of the tuning-fork-shaped strip (46), which strip is immobilized by a wedge (50) of trapezoidal section which is put in place and held by bolts (51) which are placed between the latter and said crossmember (37), FIG. 7. 

1. An installation for case-packing of products in the cavities of one or more cases with cross-partitions, which installation comprises, assembled on one and the same frame: at least one conveyor for carrying the products on a line to the receiving station and at least one conveyor for carrying the cases to be filled to the case-packing station and to carry them away, a handling head arranged in order to take a batch of products which takes the form of a row to said receiving station and to transfer it to said case-packing station in a row of cavities of the case(s) to be filled, a structure for guiding the products to the entrance of the cavities, which structure comprises at least one grid which extends longitudinally above the conveyor of the cases, which grid is furnished with several hoppers placed in line(s) and the number of which corresponds to the number of cavities of each row of the case(s) to be filled and this grid can be moved, on the one hand, vertically above said cases between a retracted position which allows the passage of said cases and a position in which said hoppers are in the active position in order to channel each product into its respective cavity and, on the other hand, transversely relative to the direction of movement of said cases in order to fill each row of cavities, one after the other, which hoppers have an opening the entrance section of which is of the order of twice the section of the cavities.
 2. The case-packing installation according to claim 1, wherein the structure for guiding the products comprises a cradle in the shape of a U the two parallel arms of which carry the grid(s) of hoppers, which cradle is guided vertically on the frame and it is maneuvered by appropriate means in order to position said hoppers in the active or inactive position relative to the cavities to be filled, which arms each comprise a carriage which accommodates one end of said grid, said carriages are guided horizontally and they can be moved, above the case(s), by appropriate means, in order to place the hoppers in correspondence with each row of cavities to be filled.
 3. The case-packing installation according to claim 2, wherein it comprises carriages arranged to accommodate at least two grids of hoppers, which grids are placed side by side to allow, in cooperation with an appropriate head and an appropriate delivery of the products, the simultaneous case-packing of at least two, nonadjacent, rows of cavities of the case.
 4. The case-packing installation according to claim 3, wherein each carriage comprises means for accommodating the grid(s) and these means comprises vertical pins onto which the ends of said grids are fitted, said grids being locked onto these pins by appropriate matching means.
 5. The case-packing installation according to claim 1, wherein the grid of hoppers comprise a pair of side rails and of several crossmembers delimiting the hoppers and certain of which are used for the assembly of said side rails, which crossmembers and side rails define the shape and the section of the entrance opening of said hoppers for the passage of the products, which openings correspond to funnels which are delimited, on the one hand, by the inner walls of said side rails and by said crossmembers and, on the other hand, by guides which extend below the level of said side rails and crossmembers.
 6. The case-packing installation according to claim 5, wherein the side rails of the grid each comprises a section piece made out of folded metal sheet with: —a horizontal top surface, —an outer stiffening border, at the bracket and—an inner surface which forms one of the walls of the hopper, which wall comprises, at each hopper, at least one lug which, once folded toward the inside of the section piece, forms a sort of staple to allow the attachment of the various flexible strips which extend said surface, which flexible strips comprise, over their length, an arrangement in the form of an oblong orifice and they are locked, at their top end or heel, by being immobilized in the fold at the bracket of the side rail, between its top surface and its outer border.
 7. The case-packing installation according to claim 6, wherein the crossmembers for assembling the side rails have a section in the shape of an upside-down U and they accommodate the top portion of the flexible strips which are in the form of a tuning-fork, which strips are assembled by being wedged in said U by means of a wedge which is held by bolts interposed between the two. 